FFG staff openings

[GMSkarka]

Unfortunately, $20k is not enough when you have a family.

Bingo.

Not to mention that it's a relatively simple task to make more than that as a PDF publisher on your own.

 

[Steve Conan Trustrum]

Am I the only one who read the necessary skills for the Staff Writer/Editor position and found the following to be a bit odd?

• Proficiency with desktop publishing software packages:
Quark Express (and/or Adobe InDesign), Macromedia
Freehand (and/or Adobe Illustrator), and Adobe Photoshop.

Use of layout, vector/lettering and graphic software isn't something I'd normally associate with either a writer or an editor.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Unfortunately, $20k is not enough when you have a family.

Plus the cost of living in the Twin Cities (where FFG is based). $20K disappears faster than you imagine.

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

Am I the only one who read the necessary skills for the Staff Writer/Editor position and found the following to be a bit odd?

No, I saw those as well. I know those programs inside and out. Have used them for years. My wife had been a production editor for a book publisher in the Twin Cities, she earned about the mid 30s. She did regular work in Quark and Indesign. Rarely in Photoshop, but she did have times where she had to pick up a dropped ball and make some graphic herself.

She never had reason to use any vector program, though those were available if need be. They normally hired artists who were expert in those if they needed vector art.

But those programs for a "Staff Writer/Editor"? Doesn't sound right... but for a small publisher, it isn't unheard of to require staff to cross train in programs that others you work with will use.

 

[philreed]

Am I the only one who read the necessary skills for the Staff Writer/Editor position and found the following to be a bit odd?

Doesn't surprise me at all. Very small companies require employees to possess a lot of varied -- and valuable -- skills.

 

[RSKennan]

Plus the cost of living in the Twin Cities (where FFG is based). $20K disappears faster than you imagine.

Incidentally, I've been told that the cost of living is from 15-20% lower than where I live now, and that seems about right based on the costs of goods and services I've been able to sample. The apartments are bigger too- two bedroom apartments out on the east coast don't usually have both a living room and a den. Whether I get a job at FFG or not, my family and I have decided to move to the area for the upgrade to our standard of living.

 

[Justin D. Jacobson]

Man, I'd love to apply for one of these positions. I'm not grandstanding when I say that FFG is one of my favorite game companies--other than my own, of course. However, I think my wife would shoot me.

I'm always a little nettled when I see these things. Being a lawyer (particularly one from Florida, which has essentially no reciprocity with any other jurisdictions), I couldn't just pick up and move anywhere without making a serious, life-altering decision. I'm not asking anyone to shed any tears over me; just jealous is all.

And I do think it was a masterstroke for FFG to post this now ... and not in January.

 

[philreed]

Man, I'd love to apply for one of these positions. I'm not grandstanding when I say that FFG is one of my favorite game companies--other than my own, of course. However, I think my wife would shoot me.

This is exactly the way I feel.

EDIT: Just realized that was probably hush hush info. Delete. Delete. Delete.

 

[TheLe]

I disagree

Bingo.

Not to mention that it's a relatively simple task to make more than that as a PDF publisher on your own.

That statement is completely false and misleading at best. It is not a simple task to make more than $20,000 a year as a pdf publisher. It is not a simple task to make even half of that.

It is hard work and takes time and dedication. 20k a year translates to $1666 in montly net sales.

NET, not gross.

Remember that rpgnow.com takes a 25% cut. So in reality you need to make at least $26,500 in yearly gross sales ($2208/month) to make around a 20k net.

Then factor in the cost of writers, artists, and other freelancers, and you are looking at an even higher number.

Assuming freelancers take another 25%, which is extremely low, That means you need to make $40,000 a year in gross sales to make a $20k net. That comes to $3333 a month in gross sales that you will need to make.

Then you have to pay taxes.

Trust me when I say, this is not an easy business. If it was, everyone would be one of those "Platinum Sellers".

I personally am happy with my own sales, which are no where near the numbers I mention above. Because I got into the business to have fun, not to make oodles of money. But even if I did switch to "money making" mode, it would be a great deal of work to get anywhere near those numbers, and it would probably take a few years to do it, if at all. There are only a small handful of players that can live off of pdf publishing, and most of those have a secondary source of income like a spouse or side job.

Pdf publishing is fun and profitable, and I would recommend everyone to give it a try... but don't quit your day job -- I'm not.

~Le

 

[Justin D. Jacobson]

I dont' disagree, but to be fair about the comparison, you'll have to pay taxes on whatever FFG pays you too.